THE LOST CHILD - MULK RAJ ANAND

     Mulk Raj Anand(1905-2004) was a socially committed writer. He portrayed traditional Indian society and the centuries of injustice suffered by the poor under the traditional and colonial systems. This short story “The Lost Child” exemplifies his deep understanding of the human psyche.

This story is set during a spring festival. The road to the fair is full of people who are happily and colorfully dressed. Among them, one little boy, who is full of life and laughter was fascinated on seeing the lined up toys shops. He was admiring the toys, forgetting everything. After hearing a call from his parents he joined them, but still he could not suppress his heart’s desire. Though he is used to refusal, he asked for the toy and got a cold stare refusal from his father as a reply.

His mother attempted to divert him by showing the flowering mustard field nearby. On seeing a group of dragon flies and butterflies in the field, the child tried to catch them. But when he was about to catch them, they flew away. The little insects and the worms along the footpath attracted him. The sight of the showering flowers arrested his attention. He joined his parents only after getting a call from them.

Along the path to the fair, the boy saw a sweetmeat seller, selling many colored sweets decorated with leaves of silver and gold. On seeing the Burfi the child’s mouth watered and murmured that he wanted a Burfi. But on knowing that his parents would deny it, he moved on without waiting for an answer. Next he saw a flower-seller selling Gulmohur flowers. Though the boy wished to buy it, he moved on because he knew his parents will refuse to buy those flowers.

Then he saw a balloon seller and was carried away by the rainbow colors of the balloon but since he know that his parents would tell that he was too old to play with the balloons, he moved on. Next he saw a snake-charmer playing his flute to a snake. But he know that his parents will not allow him to listen to such music, he moved on.

At last the boy saw a merry-go-round and people enjoying in it. He too wanted to enjoy a ride in it so this time he made a bold request to his parents. But since there is no reply from them the boy turned to look at his parents. To his shock, there was no sign of his parents. He started crying with real fear and he moved here and there in search of them. He kept on wailing “Mother, Father”

He ran quickly to a temple nearby in search of his parents. But the temple was over-crowded and near the temple – door the crowd became very thick and men were pushing each other with murderous eyes and heavy shoulders. There a stranger saw the child and asked about his whereabouts. The child just replied that it wanted his father and mother.

The stranger tried to pacify the child by taking him to the roundabout, by making him listen to the snake-charmer’s flute and he even offered to get balloons and sweets for the child. But the child was against all the stranger’s offers. Though once the boy was attracted by all these things, they all lost its charm in the absence of his parents. At that moment the boy wanted nothing else except his parents.

The author stops the story here, leaving the ending to the readers. The children’s psychology is known from this story. Although parents rebuke their children sometimes for their good, children always feel lost in their absence. Thus this story is an example of the author’s sympathy with the juvenile mind.

---HAPPY LEARNING----